Saffron Restaurant and Lounge — Restaurant in Palm Springs

Review for Safron Restaurant

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We decided to try something different tonight and stumbled upon a little gem called Safron while driving down North Palm Canyon. The sign out front caught our eye, and I couldn’t resist making a U-turn to check it out!

From the moment we walked in, we were warmly greeted by two friendly faces at the front desk. We chose to sit at the bar for a more casual and comfortable dining experience, and we couldn’t have asked for better service. Melanie and Cory, our server/bartenders, were incredibly welcoming and made us feel right at home. They were knowledgeable about the menu and quick to find answers to any questions we had.

Having enjoyed Persian cuisine in the past, we were excited to see a nice variety of options on the menu, including my favorite dish, Ghormeh Sabzi. We started with hummus and Kashke Bademjan, both of which were absolutely delicious. I also ordered their version of an Old Fashioned, and the lovely touch of saffron made it a perfect companion to our meal.

For our main courses, I had the Ghormeh Sabzi, while Jon opted for the Lamb Shank. The portions were generous, and both dishes were bursting with flavor—exactly what we had hoped for!

During our dinner, we were pleasantly surprised by a warm greeting from one of the owners, Ashley. She was lovely and made us feel even more welcomed. We assured her that we plan to return, and we truly mean it!

Safron has quickly become one of our new favorite finds, and we can’t wait to go back. If you’re looking for a delightful dining experience, we highly recommend giving...

Great Vibe, Friendly Staff, and Solid Food — With a Few Tweaks, It Could Be Excellent

We had a mostly lovely experience at Saffron. The Persian Fizz mocktail was a standout — bright, refreshing, and perfectly balanced. The hummus with warm pita was also excellent: creamy, flavorful, and served with fresh, pillowy bread that made it hard to stop eating.

The staff — including the owner, manager, and wait team — were genuinely friendly and welcoming, which really added to the atmosphere. You can tell they care and are working hard to create a memorable experience.

That said, the service felt uneven. There were bursts of attention — several people checking in, offering suggestions, asking how things were — followed by longer lulls when we were waiting on food, drinks, or refills. The intention is clearly good, but the timing could be better coordinated. As a rule of thumb: if a guest is actively eating, maybe keep the check-in brief or wait until there’s a natural pause. A quick thumbs-up check works better than a full conversation mid-bite.

As for the food: the filet kabobs had a fantastic sear and flavorful seasoning, but they arrived undercooked. Even after the waitress let us know they’d be on the “medium to well” side, what came out was closer to rare — bright red inside, bordering on raw. A quick return to the grill would’ve made all the difference.

Despite a few hiccups, I’d definitely recommend Saffron. It has a great vibe, a strong menu, and the potential to be truly outstanding with just a bit more polish in the kitchen and pacing...

Saffron in Palm Springs is a true gem, offering Persian cuisine that's authentically delicious yet refreshingly innovative. As someone of Middle Eastern heritage with high expectations, I was genuinely impressed. I moved to Palm Desert recently and was disappointed in the lack of middle eastern cuisine the area had to offer, so I was very excited when I heard about Saffron. I’m happy to say that it exceeded my expectations and I hope the restaurant maintains its excellence for the many times I will be returning. I also rarely write reviews so that’s a feat in itself.

While Saffron serves classic dishes perfectly, their creative twists truly stood out. The flatbread tahdig, especially as a trio with classic stews, was unlike anything I've seen before—simply brilliant. The mini kebab rolls, uniquely paired with hummus as a sauce instead of as a dip, were also a delightful surprise. For dessert, the baklava cheesecake was exceptional, an inspired fusion I've never tasted elsewhere. The mains were, of course, fantastic as well. My mother and I ordered the Zereshk Polo and Soltani Combination Kebab plate.

The hospitality matched the quality of the food. Chef Sev personally checked in on guests alongside Ashley, who warmly shared the restaurant’s backstory. Mimo kept the dining room perfectly attended, and our server Elijah was doubling as a bartender the night we went and he crafted excellent drinks, particularly the Persian fizz and the playful mocktail, "Adulting Responsibly."

The experience was impeccable, I can’t wait to come...